NYCity 1-2-3 : What's Happening / Manhattan's WestSide

Today’s “Fab 5” / Selected NYCity Events – SUNDAY, SEPT 15, 2013.

Governors Island Events
Free activities offered by the Figment NYC art project include interactive events in the Sculpture Garden, an artist-designed miniature golf course and installations in the “City of Dreams” pavilion that encourage visitor participation. The pavilion is a combined venture of the Emerging New York Architects Committee of the American Institute of Architects New York Chapter and the Structural Engineers Association of New York; newyork.figmentproject.org. “Fête Paradiso,” a French-style amusement park, with rides and games dating to the 19th century, including a carousel and bumper cars, will operate through Sept. 29; rides and games are $3.
Free ferry service is available from the restored Battery Maritime Building, at South and Whitehall Streets, near Battery Park and the Staten Island ferry terminal.
From 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
govisland.com.

Feast of San Gennaro (through Sept. 22)
The feast stretches along Mulberry Street, between Canal and Houston Streets, as well as Grand Street, between Mott and Baxter Streets and Hester Street, between Mott and Baxter Streets. Lots of cannoli and sausage and peppers – Mangia!
Daily from 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. (till midnight on Fridays and Saturdays).
For a schedule of events: (212) 768-9320 / sangennaro.org.

Secret Architecture
“Secret Architecture radiates a special kind of energy; it’s a core of old-fashioned, urban-cultivated musical exploration presented within the framework of the much more postmodern and multi-generic elements of contemporary improvisation….[This group] can give 21st-century acoustic jazz something it sorely needs—a new champion of the long tradition of group improvisation” – JazzTimes
Caffe Vivaldi, 32 Jones St. (btw Bleecker/W4th)
At 9:30PM / FREE
(212) 691-7538 / caffevivaldi.com

ALT-J
“The English band Alt-J (named for the symbol that’s created when pressing that combination on a computer keyboard, and that’s used in mathematics to designate change) won the Mercury Prize for its début album last year. It wistfully combines electronica effects and a folksy approach to create pungent art rock; imagine the anthems of Coldplay left out to age, like a fine cheese.” (NewYorker mag)
Rumsey Playfield in Central Park (midpark at 70th Street)
At 6PM / $33, may need to try resellers for this hot ticket.
(800) 745-3000, ticketmaster.com

Joe Sample and the Creole Joe Band
“The pianist Joe Sample has stayed true to the cause of melody and groove since his days with the Crusaders, which he recently regrouped. His CreoleJoe Band seeks an amalgam of groove, with collaborators like the Zydeco accordionist C.J. Chenier and the R&B singer and guitarist Ray Parker Jr.” (Chinen-NYT)
Blue Note, 131 West Third Street, Greenwich Village
At 8 and 10:30 p.m./$45 cover at tables, $30 at the bar, with a $5 minimum.
(212) 475-8592, bluenote.net

Before making final plans, we suggest you call the venue to confirm dates and check times, as schedules are subject to change.
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A PremierPub and 3 Good Eating Places – Greenwich Village

Caffe Vivaldi  /  32 Jones Street (btw. Bleecker/W4th St.)

Café Vivaldi is a classic, intimate club located in Greenwich Village on Jones Street, the street featured on the cover of Bob Dylan’s second album, “Freewheelin’ ”.

Each night Ishrat, the long time proprietor and impresario, carefully curates and schedules an eclectic series of musicians. You can often see him at his table in the corner, hard at work reviewing music videos and listening to cd demos on his laptop, scouting out future bookings. Musicians come from all over to play and sing in a club in Greenwich Village. Some are local New Yorkers, others are just passing through, in town for a few days.

There is a small bar, seating maybe 10. It’s close to the stage and I find it’s a perfect spot to sip a glass of red wine while listening to the music. The room itself has the performance area at one end and a cozy fireplace at the other. The performance area here is small, dominated by a large black Yamaha Grand piano. Tables are bunched together and most people at the tables are eating lite meals or sampling the wonderful desserts.

There is also a good selection of wines and lite meals, fairly priced, but you are here because of the music. You can never be quite sure what you’re going to find, and that’s half the charm of this place. It’s not a home run every night, but many nights it’s pretty special.

I remember the night I saw the most talented bossa nova group, just in from San Paulo. As I listened, I wondered if there was any better music playing anywhere else in New York City that night. And at Caffé Vivaldi there is never a cover charge. I should note that their recently redesigned web site does give you a better idea of the type of music playing each night.

At one time Greenwich Village was filled with clubs just like this, but times change. Real estate interests have impacted the village, and not for the better. Even Caffé Vivaldi had a rough time recently, when a new landlord raised the rent exorbitantly. Fortunately, Ishrat has built a loyal following over the years, and a fund raiser and slightly more reasonable rent has kept Café Vivaldi in business.

When Woody Allen and Al Pacino wanted to make movies featuring the timeless quality of Greenwich Village they came to Vivaldi. It’s important that we keep this special place alive, for if we lose Cafe Vivaldi, NYC will have lost a piece of it’s soul.

Website: http://caffevivaldi.com/
Phone #: (212) 691-7538
Hours: Music generally 7:30pm – 11pm, but varies
Lunch/Dinner 11am-on
Subway: #1 to Christopher st
Walk 1 blk S on 7th ave S to Bleecker st, 1 blk S/left on Bleecker to Jones st, 50 yards E/left on Jones st to Caffe V

“Pub” is used in it’s broadest sense – bars, bar/restaurants, wine bars, cocktail lounges,  tapas bars, craft beer bars, dive bars – just about anyplace you can get a drink without a cover charge.

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3 Good Eating places 

It’s not difficult to find a place to eat in Manhattan.
Finding a good, inexpensive place to eat is a bit harder.
Here are a few of my faves in this neighborhood:

Fish – 280 Bleecker St (just a bit S. of 7th ave South)
This was an easy pick – the best raw bar special in town. $8 gets you 6 of the freshest oysters or clams + a glass of wine or beer. Don’t know how they can do it, but I tell everyone I know about this place. And it’s located right in the heart of some of the best no cover music in town.

Bleecker Street Pizza – 69 7th ave S (corner of Bleecker)
The place is tiny and not much to look at, but this is one good slice. They like to brag that they have been voted “Best pizza in NY” 3 years in a row by the Food Network. I believe them. I would have voted for them.

Num Pang – 21 E 12th st (btw. University place/5th ave)
This is a Cambodian banh mi sandwich shop that kept me well fed while I was in class nearby recently. You may have to wait a few minutes, because everything is freshly made, but it’s worth it. Can you believe – an unheard of 26 food rating by Zagat.

The focus for “3 Good Eating places” is on Fine Fast Food – NYCity Style
(pizza,  burgers,  food trucks/carts,  vegetarian/falafel,  soup & sandwiches,  salad bars,  hot dogs,  bbq,  picnic fixins’,  raw bars & lobster rolls – no reservations needed).

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There are also some casual dining, chain restaurant locations in this neighborhood that have decent food, provide a good hotel breakfast alternative, and have free Wi-FI:

A. Pret a Manger @ 821 Broadway (betw 12/13 st)
Subway: #1/2/3 to 42nd st; transfer to n/q/r to 14th st/union sq

B. Potbelly @ 41 W14th st (betw 5th/6th ave)
Subway: #1/2/3 to 14th st

C. Cosi @ 53 E 8th st (betw greene/mercer)
Subway: #1/2/3 to 42nd st; transfer to n/r to 8th st

◊ For a few more PremierPubs and Good Eating places see previous Featured Neighborhoods in the right sidebar.

◊ For all my picks of 54 Good Eating places and descriptions of my favorite 18 PremierPubs in 9 Neighborhoods (plus 27 casual dining places with free Wi-Fi) order a copy of my e-book: “Eating and Drinking on NYCity’s WestSide” ($3.99).

Today’s “Fab 4” / Selected NYCity Events – SATURDAY, SEPT 14, 2013.

‘The Woolworth Building @ 100′ (through Sunday)
The exhibition celebrates the 100th anniversary of this Cass Gilbert-designed building — when completed in 1913 it was considered the tallest office building in the world — features blueprints, photographs, contracts and other items.

“Eighty thousand incandescent bulbs illuminated the New York night on April 24, 1913, when the Woolworth Building opened with a ceremony attended by 800 dignitaries. Witnessed by multitudes and wired to press around the world, …

The great Gothic tower-the Cathedral of Commerce-became the preeminent silhouette on the New York skyline and took the title of world’s tallest office building.”
Skyscraper Museum, 39 Battery Place, Lower Manhattan
The exhibition can be viewed Wednesdays through Sundays from noon to 6 p.m.
$5, $2.50 for students and 65+
(212) 968-1961 / skyscraper.org

‘Forever Tango’ (through Sunday)
Luis Bravo’s popular tango sensation is now running on Broadway. In his review for The New York Times, Alastair Macaulay wrote that the music was the highlight of the show: “Some of the most irresistible tangos here are those played with no dancing. You can feel the tango’s sensual march, its percussive footwork, its romantic drive.”(Burke-NYT)
Walter Kerr Theater, 219 West 48th St.
at 8PM / $30 to $199.
(212) 239-6200, forevertango.us, telecharge.com

Matt Mitchell and Ches Smith*
“Matt Mitchell, a hyperacute pianist recently heard to great effect in bands led by Tim Berne and Dave Douglas, is about to release “Fiction” (Pi Recordings), his own proper debut. It’s an unusual outing: a collection of self-invented études, often harrowingly complex, played in coordination with Ches Smith, the drummer in Mr. Berne’s quartet. This concert will feature the same book of music.”(Chinen-NYT)
Greenwich House Music School, 46 Barrow Street, West Village
At 8 p.m./ $15
242-4770, greenwichhouse.org

MELVIN DAVIS
“The legendary Detroit soul musician Melvin Davis makes a rare headlining appearance, under the aegis of the “Dig Deeper” party series, which specializes in finding unheralded greats of twentieth-century soul music and coaxing them back onstage. Davis is a multi-instrumentalist. As a drummer, he was a session player for Motown, and went on to back Smokey Robinson on “Tears of a Clown,” touring with him for two years. He also wrote a slew of songs that were immortalized by such artists as J. J. Barnes (“Chains of Love”), Lonette McKee (“Stop! (Don’t Worry About It)”), and Jackey Beavers (“I Need My Baby”). In the early sixties, he recorded a large amount of his own material, but it was released on obscure labels and is known by only the most devoted of fans. Here, he’ll revisit those songs, backed by the Brooklyn Rhythm Band, which will also perform an opening set.” (NewYorker mag)

Sometimes the event is special and we just have to go to Bklyn.
Fortunately, the #2-3 express will get us there quickly. subway: #2-3 to atlantic ave. then walk 9 short blocks S on 4th ave to degraw – maybe 10 min.
Littlefield, 622 Degraw St., (btw 4th / 3rd ave.), Bklyn.
At 9PM / $15-$20

Before making final plans, we suggest you call the venue to confirm dates and check times, as schedules are subject to change.
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Special Exhibitions @ 3 Museum Mile / Fifth Ave. Museums:

“Ken Price Sculpture: A Retrospective” (through Sept. 22)
‘The Roof Garden Commission: Imran Qureshi’ (through Nov. 3)
“Legends of the Dead Ball Era” (1900-1919) (through Dec. 1)
“Eighteenth Century Pastels” (through Dec. 29)
“Julia Margaret Cameron” (through Jan. 5, 2014)
Metropolitan Museum of Art: 1000 5th Ave, at 82nd St.
(212) 535-7710 / metmuseum.org

“Monika Grzymala, Volumen” (through Nov. 3)
Morgan Library & Museum: 225 Madison Avenue, at 36th St.
(212) 685-0008 / themorgan.org.

“Aten Reign” (through Sept. 25)
……the centerpiece of James Turrell’s first exhibition in a New York museum since 1980, recasts the Guggenheim rotunda as an enormous volume filled with shifting artificial and natural light. {see review below}
Guggenheim Museum: 1071 Fifth Avenue, at 89th St.
(212) 423-3500 / guggenheim.org.

Light and color wash the Rotunda. 
“Turrell works in a single medium: light. He has sliced into walls, designed seamless rooms with holes in the ceiling, and spent four decades building a giant naked-eye observatory in the Arizona desert—all to provide unexpectedly intimate and mysterious views of the sky, the sun, and the stars. For this segment of a three-part show running concurrently in L.A. and Houston, he’s turned the museum’s atrium into a giant light box. —J.D.” (NYmag)

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Museum Mile is a section of Fifth Avenue which contains one of the densest displays of culture in the world. Ten museums can be found along this section of Fifth Avenue:
• 110th Street – Museum for African Art
• 105th Street – El Museo del Barrio
• 103rd Street – Museum of the City of New York
• 92nd Street – The Jewish Museum
• 91st Street –  Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum
• 89th Street – National Academy Museum
• 88th Street – Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum
• 86th Street – Neue Galerie New York
• 83rd Street – Goethe-Institut
• 82nd Street – The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Additionally, though technically not part of the Museum Mile, the Frick Collection on the corner of Fifth Avenue and 70th St. and the The Morgan Library & Museum on Madison Ave and 37th St are also located near Fifth Ave. Now plan your own museum crawl.
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Top Photography Exhibitions – NYCity / Manhattan’s WestSide

  Museum of Modern Art

XL: 19NewAcquisitions in Photography (through Dec. 31)
Walker Evans: American Photographs (through Jan. 26, 2014)
11 West 53rd Street / 212-708-9400

  Metropolitan Museum of Art
Julia Margaret Cameron (through Jan. 5, 2014)
Everyday Ephiphanies: Photography and Daily Life Since 1969 
(through Jan. 26, 2014)
1000 Fifth Avenue (at 82nd Street) / 212-535-7710

   ICP
A Different Kind of Order: The ICP Triennial (through Sept. 22)
1133 Avenue of the Americas at 43rd Street / 212-857-0000

  American Museum Natural History 
Picturing Science: Museum Scientists and Imaging Technologies          
(through May 31, 2014)
79th St. And Central Park West / (212) 313-7278 

  Staley-Wise Gallery
It’s An American Thing (last day!)
560 Broadway, Soho / 212-966-6223

One more photo exhibition, this one in a special setting – the lovely, new Bklyn Bridge Park with spectacular views of the Manhattan skyline, and of course, the Brooklyn Bridge.
(easy to get to via subway: #2 or 3 express to Clark St. 1st stop in Bklyn.)

‘The Fence’ in Brooklyn Bridge Park (through Oct. 1)
“When is a fence not a fence? When it is the backdrop for a free display of over 200 jury selected images of people, animals and daily life by 39 photographers from the United States and abroad. Presented for the second year by United Photo Industries, a Brooklyn arts cooperative, as a showcase for young photographers, the display consists of a 1,000-foot-long waterproof mesh banner superimposed with color and black-and-white photos.

The banner stretches through Brooklyn Bridge Park, from Pier 15, at Joralemon Street and the East River in Brooklyn Heights, to Main Street in Dumbo.” (Anne Mancuso-NYT)
Pier 5, Joralemon Street and the East River
From 6am to 1am / FREE
(718) 215-9075 / fence.photovillenyc.org
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For other selected Museum and Gallery Special Exhibitions see Recent Posts in right Sidebar: “NYCity Events: Manhattan’s WestSide” dated 09/12 and 09/10.

Today’s “Fab 5” / Selected NYCity Events – FRIDAY, SEPT 13, 2013.

3 Folk Music Acts
Enjoy live music each Friday from 5:30 to 7:30 pm and a cash wine bar.
5:30 Rick Snyder – Quirky country songwriting
6:05 Phil Andrews (Apocalypse Five and Dime) – Unconventional folk
6:40 Ellia Bisker (Sweet Soubrette) – Charming ukulele-based cabaret folk
American Folk Art Museum, 2 Lincoln Square, Columbus Avenue at 66th St.
At 5:30 pm / FREE

Wesley Stace’s Cabinet of Wonders
“Wesley Stace (a.k.a. John Wesley Harding) hosts a variety show full of stars and wonders alike, and toasts his own forthcoming album, Self-Titled, which features songs penned by Eleanor Friedberger. At tonight’s show, Stace will be joined by Black Prairie, Janeane Garofalo, Keren Ann and Jon Ronson, among others. Cool.’ (TONY mag)
City Winery, 155 Varick St. at Vandam St.
At 6PM / $25-$35
212-608-0555 / citywinery.com

The Jared Grimes Feel – Live in Lucille’s
Jared Grimes has toured with Musical legend, Mariah Carey, under the choreography of Marty Kudelka, and danced for artists such as Common, Salt-n-Pepa, Envogue, Busta Rhymes and the Roots.
Reviews: “Mr. Grimes’s solo was a dazzlingly long and brilliantly sustained tour de force” Alastair Macaulay- New York Times
“Jared Grimes lives up to the title of “Goin’ Nuts” for his ferocious tap dancing routine.” Frank Scheck- New York Post

After his set, The Jared Grimes Feel hosts an energetic party called, “The Get Down” all night long. The event imagined by drummer DeWitt Fleming brings you the sounds of Jazz, Pop, R&B, and Soul as all of New York City is welcome to the dance floor. Towards the end of the night, Jared awards his favorite dancer a cash prize and special giveaways. Come join industry reps, dancers, musicians, and fans of live music as we party the night away!
B.B. King Blues Club and Grill 237 West 42 St. (btw 7th / 8th Ave)
At 10:30 PM / $10
212-997-4144 / http://www.bbkingblues.com

MARK DRESSER
The virtuosic bassist and composer Mark Dresser fronts a quintet featuring a trusted associate, the saxophonist Marty Ehrlich, in celebration of the release of his new album, “Nourishments.” (NewYorker mag)
Cornelia Street Café, 29 Cornelia Street, Greenwich Village
At 9 and 10:30 p.m./$15 cover, with a $10 minimum.
989-9319, corneliastreetcafe.com

HAROLD MABERN
The Harold Mabern trio. Mabern, a seventy-seven-year-old native of the music-rich city of Memphis, Tennessee, once labelled himself a blues pianist who also plays jazz, but that doesn’t do justice to his expertise as a mainstream bop stylist.
Smoke, 2751 Broadway
At 7PM and 9PM / $35

Before making final plans, we suggest you call the venue to confirm dates and check times, as schedules are subject to change.
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A PremierPub + 3 Good Eating places / Midtown West.

Russian Vodka Room  / 265 W 52nd st (btw 7th/8th ave)

Sure, you could travel to Minsk or even Brighton Beach, for an authentic Russian experience, but why bother. On those days when you feel you must wash down your dish of kasha with a few glasses of icy, cold vodka, the Russian Vodka Room will definitely satisfy your urge.

From the outside this place looks a bit drab, and with no windows, a bit mysterious. Midtown tourists walk right by on their way to see “Jersey Boys”,  just down the block.

Those in the know enter a secret hideaway, a dimly lit front room with soft jazz playing – a perfect spot for an illicit late-night rendezvous, or maybe a meet-up with your Russian spy handler, but that’s later in the evening. Early in the evening the large U-shaped bar fills with the after work happy hour crowd, a group made very happy by the much reduced prices.

Their website says: “Welcome Comrades”. Of course, this welcome focuses on dozens of different vodkas, including their own special infusions, which marinate in giant, clear glass jugs visible around the room. The large vodka martinis ensure that you won’t confuse this place with your mother’s Russian Tea Room.

But man does not live by vodka alone. Eat some food, especially the tapa like appetizers. Be decadent and try the cheese blintzes with chocolate, or try a main dish like beef stroganoff with kasha.

Your best bet is to go on a night when the piano man is playing. This guy, who looks like he has eaten a lot of those cheese blintzes, plays five nights a week from 7 to 12 (no Mondays and Thursdays). When the piano man is playing American pop tunes, and you are at the crowded, dimly lit bar testing the horseradish infused vodka, that’s when the RVR shines.

It’s the kind of place where the noise gets louder and the crowd gets happier as the happy hour goes on. I’m generally a beer guy, but I like to come here with a group of friends. We find a table in the back room; we eat, and we drink vodka ‘till it hurts (and it will hurt).

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Website: http://www.russianvodkaroom.com/
Phone #: 212-307-5835
Hours: 4pm-2am; Fri-Sun closes 4am (that could be trouble)
Happy Hour: 4-7pm every day
$4 shots infused vodka (2oz), $5 cosmos; $4 czech draft beer
Music: FR-SU; TU-WE / 7pm-12am
Subway: #1 to 50th St.
Walk 2 blk N. on B’way to 52nd St.; 1 blk W. to RVR
Confusingly, the Russian Samovar is right across the street, on the  S. side of 52nd St.
The RVR, your destination, is on the N. side of 52nd St.
Update: music some nights includes a sax player with a younger, trimmer piano man.

“Pub” is used in it’s broadest sense – bars, bar/restaurants, cocktail lounges, wine bars, tapas bars, craft beer bars, dive bars – just about anyplace you can get a drink without a cover charge.
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Today’s “Fab 5” / Selected NYCity Events – THURSDAY, SEPT 12, 2013.

Feast of San Gennaro (through Sept. 22)
The cannolis will most likely be disappearing at record speed on Thursday at 2 p.m. during one of the opening day competitions — the cannoli-eating contest — at this annual feast in Little Italy. The contest will take place on a stage on the northwest corner of Grand and Mott Streets.

The feast itself will stretch along Mulberry Street, between Canal and Houston Streets, as well as Grand Street, between Mott and Baxter Streets and Hester Street, between Mott and Baxter Streets.
Daily from 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. (till midnight on Fri. and Sat.)
For a schedule of events: (212) 768-9320 or sangennaro.org.

Concerts at One: Britten
Trinity Wall Street Music and the Arts is proud to focus its fall programming on the versatile and prolific composer, Benjamin Britten, in honor of his 100th birthday.

Celebrated favorites and rarely-performed works of Britten’s repertory will be presented, led by Director of Music and the Arts, Julian Wachner, The Choir of Trinity Wall Street and NOVUS NY. Other featured artists include tenor Nicholas Phan, cellist Matt Haimovitz, and The Trinity Youth Chorus.

Today: Benjamin Britten Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings; Les Illuminations
NOVUS NY: Vale Rideout, tenor; Sarah Brailey, soprano; Julian Wachner, conductor
Trinity Church, Broadway and Wall St.
AT 1:00 pm / FREE

Metropolitan Klezmer
Metropolitan Klezmer will play a live concert, featuring music from far-flung styles of an exuberant, eclectic Yiddish cultural milieu: Rollicking dance tunes, haunting trance melodies, Yiddish swing and tango, and genre-expanding original compositions such as klezmer cumbia. Presented by LMCC.

Established in 1994, Metropolitan Klezmer brings eclectic exuberance to Yiddish musical genres from all over the map. Performing vibrant versions of lesser-known gems from wedding dance, trance, folk, swing and tango styles, as well as soundtrack material from vintage Yiddish films, they re-invent tradition with both irreverence and respect… an exhilarating journey!

Location: LMCC’s LentSpace in Hudson Square
LentSpace in Hudson Square is on Varick St. between Canal and Grand Streets and is a collaboration between LMCC, Hudson Square Connection, and Trinity Real Estate

LMCC’s LentSpace program brings “in-the-meantime” cultural activity to temporarily vacant spaces and provides opportunities for artists to create and present their work, gain exposure to audiences and develop dialogues with local communities.
From 1–2:30PM / FREE

Lincoln and the Civil War:
150th Anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation
Historian Eric Foner’s talk, in the year of the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation, will discuss the significance of that crucial document, in terms of the Civil War, the place of African-Americans in American society, and the evolution of Lincoln’s own thinking about slavery.  He will examine the causes that led to the issuing of the document, and its consequences for Lincoln himself, and the broader society.

Eric Foner, DeWitt Clinton Professor of History at Columbia University, is one of this country’s most prominent historians. He is one of a handful to have won the Bancroft and Pulitzer Prizes in the same year.
NYPL – Stephen A. Schwarzman Building, South Court Auditorium
(Map and directions)
from 4 – 5:30 p.m. / FREE

Mimi Jones Trio
Mimi Jones, multi talented bassist, vocalist and composer, brings her beacon of musical light to the world while embracing a positive future with her inspiring messages. Mimi’s elegant sound is an eclectic mix of genres based on a strong jazz foundation that leave room for funky bass grooves, world beat rhythms, and gentle textures.
The bassist/singer brings her talented trio to Bar Thalia for one Thursday every month!
SYMPHONY SPACE, 2537 Broadway, at 95th St.
At 9:00 pm / FREE

Before making final plans, we suggest you call the venue to confirm dates and check times, as schedules are subject to change.
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SPECIAL EXHIBITIONS @ 3 Museums   (WestSide & the BrooklynMuseum) 

‘Walker Evans: American Photographs’ (through Jan. 26, 2014)
American Modern: Hopper to O’Keefe (through Jan. 26, 2014)
America’s cultural landscape shifted rapidly in the early 20th century. American Modern at the Museum of Modern Art looks at this change via some of the iconic works produced between 1915 and 1950. Artists highlighted include George Bellows, Edward Hopper, Georgia O’Keeffe, Alfred Stieglitz and Andrew Wyeth. In organizing the art thematically, American Modern will highlight the connections between the artists’ works.
Museum of Modern Art: 11 W 53rd St. (btw 5th /6th Ave.)
(212) 708-9400 / moma.org.
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‘Against the Grain: Wood in Contemporary Art, Craft and Design’* (through Sept. 15)
Museum of Arts and Design: 2 Columbus Circle
212-299-7777 / madmuseum.org.
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‘Connecting Cultures: A World in Brooklyn’ (continuing)
This eclectic, imaginatively thought-out one-gallery immersion experience in world art, all from Brooklyn’s collection and installed in the museum’s revamped Great Hall, serves as a teaser to the fabulous collections in the galleries beyond.
‘the Bruce High Quality Foundation: Ode to Joy’ (through Sept. 22)
‘Divine Felines: Cats of AncientEgypt’ (through Dec. 29)
Brooklyn Museum: 200 Eastern Parkway, at Prospect Park,
(subway: easy ride from midtown on #2 or #3 express to Eastern Pkway/Bklyn Museum)
(718) 638-5000 / brooklynmuseum.org

Top Photography Exhibitions – NYCity / Manhattan’s WestSide

  Museum of Modern Art
Walker Evans: American Photographs (through Jan. 26, 2014)
11 West 53rd Street / 212-708-9400

  Metropolitan Museum of Art
Everyday Ephiphanies: Photography and Daily Life Since 1969 
(through January 26, 2014)
1000 Fifth Avenue (at 82nd Street) / 212-535-7710

   International Center Photography
A Different Kind of Order: The ICP Triennial (through Sept. 22)
1133 Avenue of the Americas at 43rd Street / 212-857-0000

  American Museum Natural History 
Picturing Science: Museum Scientists and Imaging Technologies          
(through May 31, 2014)
79th St. And Central Park West / (212) 313-7278 

  Staley-Wise Gallery
It’s An American Thing (through Sept. 14)
560 Broadway, Soho / 212-966-6223
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One more photo exhibition, this one in a special setting – the lovely, new Bklyn Bridge Park with spectacular views of the Manhattan skyline, and of course, the Brooklyn Bridge.
(subway: easy to get to via #2 or #3 express to Clark St., the 1st stop in Bklyn.)

‘The Fence’ in Brooklyn Bridge Park (through Oct. 1)
“When is a fence not a fence? When it is the backdrop for a free display of over 200 jury selected images of people, animals and daily life by 39 photographers from the United States and abroad. Presented for the second year by United Photo Industries, a Brooklyn arts cooperative, as a showcase for young photographers, the display consists of a 1,000-foot-long waterproof mesh banner superimposed with color and black-and-white photos.

The banner stretches through Brooklyn Bridge Park, from Pier 15, at Joralemon Street and the East River in Brooklyn Heights, to Main Street in Dumbo.” (Anne Mancuso-NYT)
Pier 5, Joralemon Street and the East River
From 6am to 1am / FREE
(718) 215-9075 / fence.photovillenyc.org
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For other selected Museum and Gallery Special Exhibitions see Recent Posts in the right Sidebar: “Selected Events + Special Exhibitions : Manhattan’s WestSide” dated (08/29) and (08/27).

Today’s “Fab 5” / Selected NYCity Events – WEDNESDAY, SEPT 11, 2013.

Today is, of course, the anniversary of the tragic events of September 11, 2001.

Buglisi Dance Theater
“More than 100 dancers convene in Lincoln Center for “The Table of Silence Project,” a tribute to Sept. 11 conceived by the choreographer Jacqulyn Buglisi and the Italian visual artist Rossella Vasta. Returning for a third year, the commemorative ritual, with its cyclical, processional patterns, begins at 8:15 a.m. At 8:46 a.m., the moment when American Airlines Flight 11 crashed into the North Tower, it concludes with a moment of silence.” (Burke-NYT)
Revson Fountain, Josie Robertson Plaza at Lincoln Center,
buglisidance.org; FREE

‘Parallel Stories: The World Trade Center and Battery Park City’
“To commemorate the 12th anniversary of the terror attacks of 9/11, a discussion about the construction of One World Trade Center and the relationship of the building to neighboring areas, including Battery Park City, will feature Clifford Chanin, director of education at the National Sept. 11 Memorial Museum; Carol Willis, founder and director of the Skyscraper Museum; and Charles J. Urstadt, a former chairman of the Battery Park City Authority.” (NYT)
Museum of Jewish Heritage, 36 Battery Place, Lower Manhattan
At 7 p.m./the talks are free, as is admission to the museum all day, but donations will be accepted.
437-4200, mjhnyc.org

West Point Concert Band
The West Point Concert Band will perform a variety of music appropriate for the solemn occasion. The concert will be conducted by the West Point Band’s commander, Lieutenant Colonel Jim Keene. The concert band is proud to honor America with performances of The Star Spangled Banner and Carmen Dragon’s moving arrangement of America the Beautiful. Music by Aaron Copland will be featureded with Fanfare for the Common Man and Variations on a Shaker Melody.

The band will break into smaller ensembles, as the woodwinds perform an arrangement of Barber’s Adagio for Strings and the brass section performs Grainger’s Irish Tune from County Derry. Additoinally, Taps will be performed by the West Point Band’s principal trumpeter, Staff Sergeant Andrew Garcia. The concert will close with a pair of pieces by Leonard Bernstein: “Simple Song” from Mass, and “Make Our Garden Grow” from Candide Suite.
Trinity Church, Broadway & Wall St.
At 1PM / FREE

The September Concert: The Heart of Jazz for 9/11
More than 30 of NYC’s top jazz artists will gather on 9/11 to mark the anniversary of New York’s most tragic day with The Heart of Jazz — a segment of the annual citywide free concert series, The September Concert.

As much spiritual event as concert, since 2005 The Heart of Jazz has offered NYC’s jazz community a locale to gather, to mourn and look forward in peace — a place to explore the impact of the WTC attacks on themselves, their musical family and their fellow NYers — through the healing qualities of the music.

The Heart of Jazz this year will be held once again at Ashford & Simpson’s Sugar Bar on Tuesday, September 11th from 6:00 pm until 11:00 pm. The Sugar Bar is located at 254 W. 72nd St. (bet. Broadway & West End Ave.), mere steps from bus lines and the 1, 2 & 3 train subway stop at 72nd Street. There is no cover charge for this event.

Billy Crystal
Still Foolin’ ‘Em: Where I’ve Been, Where I’m Going, and Where the Hell Are My Keys?
For a lighter moment on a solemn day, try this author event at B&N, where comedian/actor billy crystal talks about his new memoir.
Barnes & Noble Union Square, 33 East 17th St.
At 7:00 PM / FREE
212-253-0810

Before making final plans, we suggest you call the venue to confirm dates and check times, as schedules are subject to change ================================================================================

A PremierPub + 3 Good Eating places 

Jimmy’s Corner  /  140 W 44th St (btw B’way & 7th ave)

Jimmy’s Corner is right in the heart of Times Square, but you won’t find it on the corner, it’s mid-block. Enter this long narrow bar and you are struck by the walls covered with mostly black-and-white boxing photographs, and memorabilia. Soon enough you learn that “Corner” refers to proprietor Jimmy Glenn’s long career as a corner man for some of boxing greats – Liston, Tyson, even “the greatest”, Ali.

Jimmy’s is a sort of time machine, taking you back to a time and place that no longer exists. All around you Times Square has cleaned up, grown up, assumed a new identity. Jimmy’s probably hasn’t changed a bit since it first opened in 1971. Certainly the bar itself looks original and the prices haven’t changed much either. When I brought a friend, who owns her own bar, she was surprised when she got the small tab for a round of drinks. Figured there must be a mistake, that maybe they forgot to charge for all the drinks.

Times Square today is filled with neon glitz and wandering tourists from Dubuque, but not Jimmy’s. You’ll likely find some old timer’s at the bar nursing their drinks, some younger locals at tables in the back, and maybe a few adventuresome tourists clutching their trusty guidebooks. There’s no food served here because this is just a bar, and sometimes that’s all you need.

On nights when no local team is playing, it’s a fine place to sip some drafts and listen to a great old time jukebox (40s, 50s, R&B, and soul). On sports nights this very narrow bar can get a bit claustrophobic, filled with excited fans watching their team on the TVs. Either way, Jimmy’s is the place to be if you are looking for an old time bar in the new Times Square.
————————————————————————————————————————
Website: are you kidding !
(although there is a facebook page with lots of photos –
facebook.com/jimmyscornernyc)
Phone #: 212-221-9510
Hours: 11am – 4 am, except Sunday they open 12 noon
Happy Hour: not necessary, low prices all day, every day
Subway: #1,2,3 to TimesSquare 42nd st
walk 2 blks N on 7th ave to 44th st; ½ blk E to Jimmy’s

“Pub” is used in it’s broadest sense – bars, bar/restaurants, cocktail lounges, wine bars, tapas bars, craft beer bars, dive bars – just about anyplace you can get a drink without a cover charge.

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3 Good Eating places 
It’s not difficult finding a place to eat in Manhattan.
Finding a good, inexpensive place to eat is a bit harder.
Here are a few of my faves in this neighborhood:

Patzeria Perfect Pizza – 231 W46 st (Betw 7th/8th ave)
Perfect name for a pizza joint. On a street filled with Broadway theaters, this is a real hole in the wall, but don’t let the dive look scare you away. You can never go wrong with a slice of NYC pizza, and this one is a classic thin crust. Only a few seats here, but pizza was made to eat standing up.

Shake Shack – 691 8th ave (Betw 43rd/44th st)
Danny Meyer has revolutionized the high quality burger in this town. Now he has a branch on the West Side that was desperately needed, with none of the insane lines that you find at the Madison Sq. Park location. Plus, it may be the cleanest joint to eat in all of Hell’s Kitchen.
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“3 Good Eating places” focuses on a quick bite, what I call “Fine Fast Food – NYCity Style”

That covers a wide range of food – pizza,  burgers,  food trucks/carts,  vegetarian/falafel,  ramen,  chopped salad & salad bars,  hot dogs,  bbq,  soup & sandwiches,  picnic fixins’,  raw bars & lobster rolls. No reservations needed. ================================================================================

There are other casual dining options in this neighborhood that provide good food, especially as alternatives to overpriced hotel breakfasts, and most importantly,
have free Wi-FI:

>Pret a Manger @ 11 W 42nd st (Betw 5th/6th)
Subway: #1/2/3 to 42nd st / times square

>Potbelly @ 30 Rockefeller Plaza (Betw 49/48 st)
Subway: #1 to 50th st

>Pret a Manger @ 1200 6th ave (Betw 47/48)
Subway: #1 to 50th st

For all my picks of 54 Good Eating places and extended descriptions of 18 PremierPubs in 9 Neighborhoods, order a copy of my e-book:
“Eating and Drinking on NYCity’s WestSide”

Today’s “Fab 5” / Selected NYCity Events – TUESDAY, SEPT 10, 2013.

China & the Silk Roads: Trade, Migration, and Cultural Transformation
The Silk Routes represent one of the most marvelous phenomena in Eurasian history. Li Zhang employs recent and eye-opening archaeological discoveries to explore the circulation and interaction of people, objects, and customs among different Chinese societies and other regions of Eurasia over the course of several millennia.

Li Zhang is a post-doctoral scholar at the Institute for the Study of the Ancient World, New York University. She received her PhD from the department of archaeology and museology at Peking University, and works on the archaeology and art of early China, as well as the interactions between early China and the other parts of Eurasia.
Columbia University Morningside Campus
Sulzberger Parlor, 3rd Floor Barnard Hall
At 6:00 pm / FREE

‘On Location: New York Films, New York Directors’
A screening of “My Brooklyn,” a film by Kelly Anderson about the gentrification of Downtown Brooklyn, will open this series of feature films about the city by filmmakers who live here. The screening, at 6:30 p.m., will be followed by a discussion with Ms. Anderson and Mark Jacobson, a contributing editor of New York Magazine.
Graduate Center, Proshansky Auditorium, City University of New York,
365 Fifth Avenue at 34th Street
at 6:30PM / Free, but registration is required.
(212) 817-8215, tinyurl.com/pj3ndt8

Battle for Ground Zero: Inside the Political Struggle to Rebuild the World Trade Center
Within days of the September 11th attacks on the World Trade Center, plans to rebuild arose amid contrasting, often conflicting, attempts to define what the site represented, and what it should become.

In this discussion, urban anthropologist and author of Battle for Ground Zero (2013), Elizabeth Greenspan, will discuss her new book and trace the evolution of the WTC site and its public spaces over the past decade from disaster area to graveyard to tourist attraction to construction site, illuminating the tension between commerce and commemoration at the Ground Zero and the unrealized expectations and political gamesmanship surrounding its development.
The NewSchool, Wollman Hall (B500), Eugene Lang College
65 West 11th St.
At 6:30 pm / FREE

JOE SAMPLE
Joe Sample, a keyboardist equally comfortable with jazz, pop, and funk, stops by with his CreoleJoe band. Sample grew up in southeast Texas, and the group, which is inspired by the music of his youth, features C. J. Chenier, the crown prince of zydeco, on accordion.
Blue Note, 131 West Third Street, Greenwich Village,
At 8 and 10:30 p.m./ $45 cover at tables, $30 at the bar, with a $5 minimum.
(212) 475-8592, bluenote.net

DAVE KING TRIO (through Sept. 15)
“Last year, Dave King, the occasionally rambunctious drummer from the Bad Plus, released “I’ve Been Ringing You,” a lovely, decidedly low-key trio recording with the pianist Bill Carrothers and the bassist Billy Peterson. Their appearance here will draw from that under-the-radar treasure.” (NewYorker mag)
Village Vanguard, 178 Seventh Avenue South, at 11th Street,
At 8:30 and 10:30 p.m./ $25 cover, with a one-drink minimum.
255-4037, villagevanguard.com

Before making final plans, we suggest you call the venue to confirm dates and check times, as schedules are subject to change.
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Chelsea is the heart of the NYCity contemporary art scene. Home to more than 300 art galleries, the Rubin Museum, the Joyce Theater, and The Kitchen performance spaces,   there is no place like it anywhere in the world.

Come here to browse free exhibitions by world-renowned artists and those unknowns waiting to be discovered in an art district that is concentrated between West 18th and West 27th Streets, and 10th and 11th Avenues. Afterwards stop in the Chelsea Market, stroll on the High Line, or rest up at one of the many cafes and bars and discuss the fine art – my fave is Ovest on W 27th St., where the aperitivo is like Happy Hour on steroids.

For a listing of 25 essential galleries in the Chelsea Art Gallery District, organized by street, which enables you to create your own Chelsea Art Gallery crawl, see the Chelsea Gallery Guide (nycgo.com)
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Top Photography Exhibitions – NYCity / Manhattan’s WestSide

  Museum of Modern Art
Walker Evans: American Photographs (through Jan. 26, 2014)
11 West 53rd Street / 212-708-9400

  Metropolitan Museum of Art
Everyday Ephiphanies: Photography and Daily Life Since 1969 
(through January 26, 2014)
1000 Fifth Avenue (at 82nd Street) / 212-535-7710

   ICP
A Different Kind of Order: The ICP Triennial (through Sept. 22)
1133 Avenue of the Americas at 43rd Street / 212-857-0000

  American Museum Natural History 
Picturing Science: Museum Scientists and Imaging Technologies          
(through May 31, 2014)
79th St. And Central Park West / (212) 313-7278 

  Staley-Wise Gallery
It’s An American Thing (through Sept. 14)
560 Broadway, Soho / 212-966-6223

One more photo exhibition, this one in a special setting – the lovely, new Bklyn Bridge Park with spectacular views of the Manhattan skyline, and of course, the Brooklyn Bridge.
(easy to get to via subway: #2 or 3 express to Clark St., the 1st stop in Bklyn.)

‘The Fence’ in Brooklyn Bridge Park (through Oct. 1)
“When is a fence not a fence? When it is the backdrop for a free display of over 200 jury selected images of people, animals and daily life by 39 photographers from the United States and abroad. Presented for the second year by United Photo Industries, a Brooklyn arts cooperative, as a showcase for young photographers, the display consists of a 1,000-foot-long waterproof mesh banner superimposed with color and black-and-white photos.

The banner stretches through Brooklyn Bridge Park, from Pier 15, at Joralemon Street and the East River in Brooklyn Heights, to Main Street in Dumbo.” (Anne Mancuso-NYT)
Pier 5, Joralemon Street and the East River
From 6am to 1am / FREE
(718) 215-9075 / fence.photovillenyc.org
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For other selected Museum and Gallery Special Exhibitions see Recent Posts in the right Sidebar: “Selected Events + Special Exhibitions : Manhattan’s WestSide” dated (09/08) and (09/06).

Today’s “Fab 4” / Selected NYCity Events – MONDAY, SEPT 09, 2013.

“The Socialite Who Killed a Nazi with Her Bare Hands and 143 Other Fascinating People Who Died This Past Year: The Best of the New York Times Obituaries, 2013,”
The Author @ the Library series brings in William McDonald, the obituaries editor at The New York Times since 2006.

This illustrated lecture shares a collection of obituaries from the New York Times of fascinating people, from the genius behind the Apple computer to two brutal dictators and a Nobel Peace Prize winner, and artists, sports stars, statesmen, inventors, moguls and heroes–sung and unsung, creating a surprising portrait of our times through their lives and provides us with riveting stories.
Mid-Manhattan Library (Map and directions)
At 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. / FREE

Symposium: New York Comics & Picture-Story Symposium
Presentation: Anne Emond and Josh Bayer, New York-based DIY cartoonists, will discuss the development of their bodies of work, audience and their personal goals and objectives. The night will begin with a slide show/reading of their work and culminate with the two interviewing each other, each bringing 13 questions devoted to the other artist. Expect a lively, organic interaction between two complex and often unpredictable cartoonists.
New School Parsons, 2 W. 13th St.
At 7PM / FREE

The Sidney Bechet Society Presents Ed Polcer
“If you think that the word “Dixieland” and ancient war horses like “Fidgety Feet” and “Runnin’ Wild” are somehow passé, then this show isn’t for you. At 76 years old, Ed Polcer has been a fixture on the East Coast traditional jazz scene for as long as most of us can remember, and he re-establishes his worthiness with every new generation—on Monday he ups the ante with pianist Mark Shane, bassist Frank Tate, drummer Marion Felder and the Midori Brothers, Joe and Paul, who, between them, play all the reeds, plus vibes, percussion and trombone.” (WSJ.COM)
Symphony Space, Peter Jay Sharp Theatre, 2537 Broadway
At 7:15PM / $35
864-5400 / http://www.symphonyspace.org

U.S. TENNIS OPEN
Who to watch today (at 5PM):
This is it – the last day of the tournament with the Men’s Singles Final between the two best tennis players on the planet – #1 seed Novak Djokovic and #2 seed Rafael Nadal. I agree with those who think that the seeds should be reversed, at least for this tournament.

Nadal has always been unbeatable on clay, and after watching him play over two weeks at the US Open, he looks unbeatable on the hardcourts, too. Djokovic showed great courage coming from behind in his Semi, and will need to play even better in this match, which we have all been looking forward to. Don’t miss it!

The best, most comprehensive review of the tournament and the current state of tennis can be found at the NYTimes: http://www.nytimes.com/pages/sports/tennis/index.html

================================================================================
Before making final plans, we suggest you call the venue to confirm dates and check times, as schedules are subject to change.
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A PremierPub and 3 Good Eating places – West Village

Corner Bistro  /  331 W. 4th St.

Sometimes you just need a beer and a burger. If so, Corner Bistro is the place you want. Located just outside the hip Meatpacking district, this corner bar and grill is decidedly unhip, but it’s not uncrowded, especially at night. Seems that everyone knows this place has one of the better burgers in town.

In the maze of streets known as the West Village, where West 4th intersects with West 12th (and West 11th, and West 10th, go figure), you will eventually find Corner Bistro on the corner of West 4th and Jane Street. An unassuming neighborhood tavern, it looks just like dozens of other taverns around town. The bartender tells me that the Corner Bistro will be celebrating it’s 50th anniversary next year. The well worn interior tells me that the place itself is much older.

Corner Bistro has outlasted many of those other taverns around town because they know how to keep it simple — just good burgers and beer, fairly priced. The classic bistro Burger is only $6.75, and should be ordered medium rare, which will be plenty rare for most folks. Actually, it will be a juicy, messy delight – make sure you have extra napkins. I like to pull up a stool and sit by the large front window in the afternoon, where I can rest my burger and beer on the shelf, and watch the Villagers walk by.

Corner Bistro seems to attract very different groups of patrons depending on time of day. While it’s crowded with locals in the evening,  in the afternoon you hear different foreign languages, and watch groups of euro tourists wander in, led by their guidebooks and smartphones.

For the classic Bistro experience, order your burger with a McSorley’s draft, the dark preferably. This is the same beer that you can get over at the original McSorley’s in the East Village, the pub that claims to be the oldest continually operating bar in NYCity. The only difference is that this McSorley’s ale is served with a smile by the bartenders here. Or you  can get a Sierra Nevada, Stella, or Hoegaarden on tap if you want to go upscale a bit. Either way this is a simple, but quality burger and beer experience that is just too rare these days (sorry for the pun).

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Website:  cornerbistrony.com
Phone #:  212-242-9502
Hours: 11:30am-4am Mon-Sat; 12pm-4am Sun
Happy Hour:  NO
Music:  Juke Box
Subway: #1/2/3 to 14th St. (S end of platform)
Walk 2 blk W. on 13th St. to 8th Ave.; 1 blk S. on 8th Ave. to Jane St.
Update:

===============================================================================
“Pub” is used in it’s broadest sense – bars, bar/restaurants, cocktail lounges, wine bars, tapas bars, craft beer bars, dive bars – just about anyplace you can get a drink without a cover charge.
================================================================================

Today’s “Fab 4” / Selected NYCity Events – SUNDAY, SEPT 08, 2013.

U.S. TENNIS OPEN (through Sept. 9)
Who to watch today:
We are now down to the final two days of the tournament and today we have the Women’s Singles Final, preceded by the Men’s Doubles Final.

» The first match features the  Doubles team of Leander Paes and Radek Stepanek who stopped the Bryan brothers and their quest for a calendar Grand Slam in the semis. Paes is the best doubles player most people have never heard of. Every time he steps on the court he puts on a clinic of how doubles should be played.

» The Women’s Finals features the #1 seed Serena vs the #2 seed Azarenka. They played a tight 3 set match last year in the Finals, but I don’t see that happening this year. Serena has been playing some of her best tennis, which can’t be said for Azarenka.

The best, most comprehensive review of the tournament and the current state of tennis can be found at the NYTimes: http://www.nytimes.com/pages/sports/tennis/index.html

NYC Century Bike Tour
“Cooler weather this weekend may turn a bicyclist’s thoughts to this annual ride — the 24th — through the streets, parks and green spaces of the city. Sponsored by Transportation Alternatives, the tour features courses of 15 to 100 miles, with all the bumps, dips and climbs of open streets, as well as the relative smoothness of bicycle paths and the straightaways of bridges.

Staggered start times begin early at two locations: at 6 a.m. near the Harlem Meer in Central Park, reachable from 110th Street and Lenox Avenue, and at 6:30 a.m. in Prospect Park, Brooklyn, on Willink Drive, near the carousel, reachable from the entrance at Flatbush, Empire and Ocean Avenues. The 15-mile ride begins only at Central Park.

In advance, registration is $65; $55 for members; and $35 for those under 18, through Friday. The cost jumps to $75, $65 and $45, with registration on Saturday (from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Transportation Alternatives, 127 West 26th Street, Chelsea) or on site on Sunday; nyccentury.org. So check the tires and brakes, grab the helmet and hop on for a ride.” (Anne Mancuso-NYT)

Cassandra Wilson*
“The smoky-voiced Cassandra Wilson, a defiantly eccentric visionary, is one of the most influential and consistently captivating singers of her generation.”
(NewYorker mag)
Blue Note, 131 West Third Street, Greenwich Village
At 8 and 10:30 p.m. / $55 cover at tables, $35 at the bar, with a $5 minimum
475-8592, bluenote.net

Trio da Paz and Friends
“Effervescence comes easily to Trio da Paz, a samba-jazz cooperative consisting of Romero Lubambo on guitar, Nilson Matta on bass and Duduka Da Fonseca on drums. For this engagement, loosely organized as a tribute to the popular bossa nova forays of Stan Getz, they welcome Harry Allen on tenor saxophone and Joe Locke on vibraphone, along with Maucha Adnet on vocals.” (Chinen-NYT)
Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola,  Jazz at Lincoln Center, 60th St &  Broadway
At 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. / $35 to $45 cover, with a $10 minimum
(212) 258-9595, jalc.org

Before making final plans, we suggest you call the venue to confirm dates and check times, as schedules are subject to change.
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Special Exhibitions @ 3 Museum Mile / Fifth Ave. Museums:

“Ken Price Sculpture: A Retrospective” (through Sept. 22)
‘The Roof Garden Commission: Imran Qureshi’ (through Nov. 3)
“Legends of the Dead Ball Era” (1900-1919) (through Dec. 1)
“Eighteenth Century Pastels” (through Dec. 29)
“Julia Margaret Cameron” (through Jan. 5, 2014)
Metropolitan Museum of Art: 1000 5th Ave, at 82nd St.
(212) 535-7710 / metmuseum.org

“Monika Grzymala, Volumen” (through Nov. 3)
Morgan Library & Museum: 225 Madison Avenue, at 36th St.
(212) 685-0008 / themorgan.org.

“New Harmony: Abstraction Between the Wars, 1919-1939” (through Sept. 8)
“Aten Reign” (through Sept. 25)
……the centerpiece of James Turrell’s first exhibition in a New York museum since 1980, recasts the Guggenheim rotunda as an enormous volume filled with shifting artificial and natural light. {see review below}
Guggenheim Museum: 1071 Fifth Avenue, at 89th St.
(212) 423-3500 / guggenheim.org.

Light and color wash the Rotunda. 
“Turrell works in a single medium: light. He has sliced into walls, designed seamless rooms with holes in the ceiling, and spent four decades building a giant naked-eye observatory in the Arizona desert—all to provide unexpectedly intimate and mysterious views of the sky, the sun, and the stars. For this segment of a three-part show running concurrently in L.A. and Houston, he’s turned the museum’s atrium into a giant light box. —J.D.” (NYmag)

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Museum Mile is a section of Fifth Avenue which contains one of the densest displays of culture in the world. Ten museums can be found along this section of Fifth Avenue:
• 110th Street – Museum for African Art
• 105th Street – El Museo del Barrio
• 103rd Street – Museum of the City of New York
• 92nd Street – The Jewish Museum
• 91st Street –  Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum
• 89th Street – National Academy Museum
• 88th Street – Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum
• 86th Street – Neue Galerie New York
• 83rd Street – Goethe-Institut
• 82nd Street – The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Additionally, though technically not part of the Museum Mile, the Frick Collection on the corner of Fifth Avenue and 70th St. and the The Morgan Library & Museum on Madison Ave and 37th St are also located near Fifth Ave. Now plan your own museum crawl.
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Top Photography Exhibitions – NYCity / Manhattan’s WestSide

  Museum of Modern Art

XL: 19NewAcquisitions in Photography (through Dec. 31)
Walker Evans: American Photographs (through Jan. 26, 2014)
11 West 53rd Street / 212-708-9400

  Metropolitan Museum of Art
Julia Margaret Cameron (through Jan. 5, 2014)
Everyday Ephiphanies: Photography and Daily Life Since 1969 
(through Jan. 26, 2014)
1000 Fifth Avenue (at 82nd Street) / 212-535-7710

   ICP
A Different Kind of Order: The ICP Triennial (through Sept. 22)
1133 Avenue of the Americas at 43rd Street / 212-857-0000

  American Museum Natural History 
Picturing Science: Museum Scientists and Imaging Technologies          
(through May 31, 2014)
79th St. And Central Park West / (212) 313-7278 

  Staley-Wise Gallery
It’s An American Thing (through Sept. 14)
560 Broadway, Soho / 212-966-6223

One more photo exhibition, this one in a special setting – the lovely, new Bklyn Bridge Park with spectacular views of the Manhattan skyline, and of course, the Brooklyn Bridge.
(easy to get to via subway: #2 or 3 express to Clark St. 1st stop in Bklyn.)

‘The Fence’ in Brooklyn Bridge Park (through Oct. 1)
“When is a fence not a fence? When it is the backdrop for a free display of over 200 jury selected images of people, animals and daily life by 39 photographers from the United States and abroad. Presented for the second year by United Photo Industries, a Brooklyn arts cooperative, as a showcase for young photographers, the display consists of a 1,000-foot-long waterproof mesh banner superimposed with color and black-and-white photos.

The banner stretches through Brooklyn Bridge Park, from Pier 15, at Joralemon Street and the East River in Brooklyn Heights, to Main Street in Dumbo.” (Anne Mancuso-NYT)
Pier 5, Joralemon Street and the East River
From 6am to 1am / FREE
(718) 215-9075 / fence.photovillenyc.org
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For other selected Museum and Gallery Special Exhibitions see Recent Posts in right Sidebar: “NYCity Events: Manhattan’s WestSide” dated 08/25 and 08/23.

Today’s “Fab 4” / Selected NYCity Events – SATURDAY, SEPT 07, 2013.

U.S. TENNIS OPEN (through Sept. 9)
We are now in the final weekend of the tournament and all the matches are in the BigHouse.

Who to watch today:
Two Men’s Singles Semifinals, and the Women’s Doubles Final.

» The first men’s Semi should be the best. Stan ”the Man” Wawrinka #9 seed has been playing very well, and in his last match he ran defending champ Andy Murray off the court in straight sets. He’ll need to play at that level to beat the #1 seed – “the Joker”, and he just might.

» The second men’s Semi pits underdog #8 seed Gasquet vs #2 seed Nadal. Some people think Gasquet has a chance. I don’t. Gasquet has had to play two tough 5 set matches just to get here, while Nadal has cruised into the semis without being challenged.

» Andrea Hlavackova (CZE) [5] /  Lucie Hradecka (CZE) [5] vs Ashleigh Barty (AUS) [8] /  Casey Dellacqua (AUS) [8] in the Women’s Doubles Final, which follows the Men’s Semifinals. Surprisingly, the Williams sisters got beat in the semis by the Czech girls. Haven’t seen much of these ladies, but Women’s Doubles is the kind of tennis all us hackers can relate to, and this should be an interesting match to watch.

The best, most comprehensive review of the tournament and the current state of tennis can be found at the NYTimes: http://www.nytimes.com/pages/sports/tennis/index.html

Washington Square Outdoor Art Exhibit (thru Sunday, Sept. 08)
“In 1931, New York artists Jackson Pollock and Willem de Kooning propped up a few of their paintings on the sidewalk near Washington Square Park and called it a show. A lot has changed since then: Now, more than 100 artists and artisans—including painters, sculptors, jewelers and glassblowers—exhibit their wares at the Washington Square Outdoor Art Exhibit.” (TONY mag)
University Place, from East 13th St to Waverly Place, WestVillage
12-6 PM / FREE
(212) 982-6255, wsoae.org

Governors Island Events (Saturdays and Sundays through Sept. 22)
Free activities offered by the Figment NYC art project include interactive events in the Sculpture Garden, an artist-designed miniature golf course and installations in the “City of Dreams” pavilion that encourage visitor participation. The pavilion is a combined venture of the Emerging New York Architects Committee of the American Institute of Architects New York Chapter and the Structural Engineers Association of New York; newyork.figmentproject.org. “Fête Paradiso,” a French-style amusement park, with rides and games dating to the 19th century, including a carousel and bumper cars, will operate through Sept. 29; rides and games are $3.

From 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Free ferry service is available from the Battery Maritime Building, at South and Whitehall Streets, near Battery Park, and in Dumbo, Brooklyn, from Pier 6 at Brooklyn Bridge Park; govisland.com.

Arturo O’Farrill Sextet 
“Arturo O’Farrill, the pianist and bandleader of the Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra, also leads a combo of this shape. Informed by postbop as well as by Latin jazz, it includes his sons, Adam (on trumpet) and Zack (on drums).” (Chinen-NYT)
Birdland, 315 West 44th St.
At 8:30 and 11 p.m./$35 and $45 cover, with a $10 minimum
581-3080, birdlandjazz.com

Before making final plans, we suggest you call the venue to confirm dates and check times, as schedules are subject to change ==============================================================================

A PremierPub and 3 Good Eating places – Tribeca

B-Flat  /  277 Church st (Btw Franklin/White)

There are some places that are tough to find, then add a layer of mystery when you do find them. B-Flat has a nondescript, almost unmarked door at street level – today’s speakeasy vibe. Open this door and you face a dimly lit stairway down to their basement location. It almost takes a leap of faith to follow the stairs down to their interior door. But open that door and a pleasant surprise awaits you.

It’s a basement jazz spot all right, but not like any traditional jazz joint you may have been to before. This place looks as fresh as today, probably because it’s only been open for 6 years. Even though it hasn’t had a chance to age gracefully, the cherry wood accents and low lighting make this small space very inviting.

There is always jazz, often progressive jazz,  playing over their very discrete, stylish bose speakers, setting just the right tone as you find a seat at the bar, or one of the small tables. There is wine and beer available, but this place has some expert mixologists making some very creative cocktails, which I’m told change seasonally, a nice touch.

Come at happy hour and tasty cocktails like the el Diablo or the lychee martini are $8 – not bad. I am a sucker for any drink made with lychee and how can you not try a tequila drink named el Diablo. There is also nice selection of small bites available at happy hour and a food menu that is as innovative as the cocktail menu, so this does not have to be a happy hour only stop.

It wasn’t surprising to find a tasty prosciutto and arugula salad with yuzu dressing, but I did not expect to find such a good version of fried chicken breast on the apps menu. Here it’s called “Tatsuta.” Best bet is to sample happy hour, then dinner on a Monday or Wednesday night, when you can finish with no cover live jazz that starts around 8.

This place is tough to find (look for a small slate sandwich board on the sidewalk out front advertising happy hour) and on some nights when there is no live music it may be a little too quiet for some. But I think it’s worth searching out if you want a place with good music, food, and especially drinks, away from the maddening crowd.

Website: http://http://www.bflat.info/index.html
Phone #: 212-219-2970
Hours: Mo-Wed 5pm-2am; Th-Sat 5pm-3am; no Sun
Happy Hour: 5-7pm every day; $8 cocktails + special prices on apps
Music: Mon/Wed 8pm
Subway: #1 to Franklin; walk 1 blk E to Church; 1 blk N to bFlat

“Pub” is used in it’s broadest sense – bars, bar/restaurants, wine bars, cocktail lounges,  tapas bars, craft beer bars, dive bars – just about anyplace you can get a drink without a cover charge.

Today’s “Fab 4” / Selected NYCity Events – FRIDAY, SEPT 06, 2013.

U.S. TENNIS OPEN (through Sept. 9)
We are now in the final weekend of the tournament and all the matches are in the BigHouse.

Who to watch today:
Two Women’s Singles Semifinals, the Mixed Doubles Finals, and one Women’s Doubles Semifinal.

» After 63 appearances in the main draw of Grand Slam events Abigail Spears has reached her first Grand Slam final in the Mixed Doubles. So we should all be rooting for her, and partner Santiago Gonzalez. Go Girl!

» #2 seed Victoria Azarenka vs Flavia Pennetta in one of the women’s semifinals. Vika has not looked good to me all tournament, so I think Pennetta has a chance. This is clearly the weaker half of the draw.

» #1 seed and defending champ Serena Williams vs #5 seed NaLi. Serena has been playing better than ever and should cruise to the finals. But that’s what I thought at Wimbledon and Serena very surprisingly lost to Sabine Lisicki in the 4th round, so that’s why they play the game.

The best, most comprehensive review of the tournament and the current state of tennis can be found at the NYTimes: http://www.nytimes.com/pages/sports/tennis/index.html

The Moth Mainstage: 
‘You Are Here: Stories of Rights and Lefts’
This evening, part of the Just Words: A Spoken Word Celebration series of readings and discussions, will begin with storytelling by Simon Doonan, a writer (“Eccentric Glamour: Creating An Insanely More Fabulous You”) and creative ambassador for Barneys, and Kemp Powers, author of “The Shooting: A Memoir.” Adam Gopnik, a staff writer for The New Yorker, is the host. The event, is in celebration of the Moth, a nonprofit dedicated to art of storytelling and the publication this week of “The Moth: 50 True Stories” (Hyperion).
Town Hall, 123 West 43rd St.
at 7:30 p.m., / $25 and $40
(800) 982-2787, the-townhall-nyc.org

August Wilson’s Century Cycle Talk Series
This series, presented in conjunction with the sold-out live recordings of Wilson’s celebrated 10-play cycle, includes discussions on themes and topics related to Wilson’s work. On this night Ken Roberson, who choreographed the Signature Theater’s 2006 production of “Seven Guitars,” and the blues musician Bill Sims Jr., who composed the original music for “Seven Guitars” and “Jitney,” will talk with WQXR’s Terrance McKnight about Wilson’s use of music and movement.
the Greene Space, 44 Charlton Street, at Varick Street, SoHo
At 7 p.m./$10
(866) 811-4111, thegreenespace.org

Jeremy Udden’s Plainville
Live music from Jeremy Udden’s Plainville “…a richly engrossing project from the Brooklyn-by-way-of-Boston saxophonist that finds new ground between jazz, instrumental rock and folk…Udden’s crew is just as comfortable carving out room in indie rock’s territory, but jazz fans should be equally taken with this caliber of invention.” “…a richly engrossing project from the Brooklyn-by-way-of-Boston saxophonist that finds new ground between jazz, instrumental rock and folk…Udden’s crew is just as comfortable carving out room in indie rock’s territory, but jazz fans should be equally taken with this caliber of invention.” – Chris Barton, LA TIMES
South Street Seaport, Front & Fulton Sts.
at 6:30PM / FREE
1-212-732-8257

Before making final plans, we suggest you call the venue to confirm dates and check times, as schedules are subject to change.
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SPECIAL EXHIBITIONS @ 3 Museums   (WestSide & the BrooklynMuseum) 

‘Ellsworth Kelly: Chatham Series’ (through Sept. 8)
‘Walker Evans: American Photographs’ (through Jan. 26, 2014)
American Modern: Hopper to O’Keefe (through Jan. 26, 2014)
America’s cultural landscape shifted rapidly in the early 20th century. American Modern at the Museum of Modern Art looks at this change via some of the iconic works produced between 1915 and 1950. Artists highlighted include George Bellows, Edward Hopper, Georgia O’Keeffe, Alfred Stieglitz and Andrew Wyeth. In organizing the art thematically, American Modern will highlight the connections between the artists’ works.
Museum of Modern Art: 11 W 53rd St. (btw 5th /6th Ave.)
(212) 708-9400 / moma.org.
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‘Against the Grain: Wood in Contemporary Art, Craft and Design’* (through Sept. 15)
Museum of Arts and Design: 2 Columbus Circle
212-299-7777 / madmuseum.org.
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‘Connecting Cultures: A World in Brooklyn’ (continuing)
This eclectic, imaginatively thought-out one-gallery immersion experience in world art, all from Brooklyn’s collection and installed in the museum’s revamped Great Hall, serves as a teaser to the fabulous collections in the galleries beyond.
‘the Bruce High Quality Foundation: Ode to Joy’ (through Sept. 22)
‘Divine Felines: Cats of AncientEgypt’ (through Dec. 29)
Brooklyn Museum: 200 Eastern Parkway, at Prospect Park,
(subway: easy ride from midtown on #2 or #3 express to Eastern Pkway/Bklyn Museum)
(718) 638-5000 / brooklynmuseum.org

Top Photography Exhibitions – NYCity / Manhattan’s WestSide

  Museum of Modern Art
Walker Evans: American Photographs (through Jan. 26, 2014)
11 West 53rd Street / 212-708-9400

  Metropolitan Museum of Art
Everyday Ephiphanies: Photography and Daily Life Since 1969 
(through January 26, 2014)
1000 Fifth Avenue (at 82nd Street) / 212-535-7710

   International Center Photography
A Different Kind of Order: The ICP Triennial (through Sept. 22)
1133 Avenue of the Americas at 43rd Street / 212-857-0000

  American Museum Natural History 
Picturing Science: Museum Scientists and Imaging Technologies          
(through May 31, 2014)
79th St. And Central Park West / (212) 313-7278 

  Staley-Wise Gallery
It’s An American Thing (through Sept. 14)
560 Broadway, Soho / 212-966-6223
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One more photo exhibition, this one in a special setting – the lovely, new Bklyn Bridge Park with spectacular views of the Manhattan skyline, and of course, the Brooklyn Bridge.
(subway: easy to get to via #2 or #3 express to Clark St., the 1st stop in Bklyn.)

‘The Fence’ in Brooklyn Bridge Park (through Oct. 1)
“When is a fence not a fence? When it is the backdrop for a free display of over 200 jury selected images of people, animals and daily life by 39 photographers from the United States and abroad. Presented for the second year by United Photo Industries, a Brooklyn arts cooperative, as a showcase for young photographers, the display consists of a 1,000-foot-long waterproof mesh banner superimposed with color and black-and-white photos.

The banner stretches through Brooklyn Bridge Park, from Pier 15, at Joralemon Street and the East River in Brooklyn Heights, to Main Street in Dumbo.” (Anne Mancuso-NYT)
Pier 5, Joralemon Street and the East River
From 6am to 1am / FREE
(718) 215-9075 / fence.photovillenyc.org
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For other selected Museum and Gallery Special Exhibitions see Recent Posts in the right Sidebar: “Selected Events + Special Exhibitions : Manhattan’s WestSide” dated (08/29) and (08/27).